Coated flexible fabric



July 24, 1956 A. A. SCHOENBERGER 2,755,535

COATED FLEXIBLE FABRIC Filed March 5,- 1955 INVENTOR ALVIN A.SCHOENBERGER BY JL 'M W ATT RNEY United States Patent COATED FLEXIBLEFABRIC Alvin A. Schoenberger, New Rochelle, N. Y., assignor toIndustrial Rayon Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of DelawareApplication March 5, 1953, Serial No. 340,550

2 Claims. (Cl. 28-80) This invention relates to a highly tear-resistantfabric for use as a base or as a backing for coating with a plasticmaterial.

More especially, this invention has as an object the provision of aknitted fabric for use as a backing material or base for plastic coatingformed of rayon multi-filament yarn in substantially an untwisted stateon a circular-knitting machine.

Generally, plastic coated fabrics have as a base Woven textile fabricswith or without bonding agents to prevent relative movement of the yarnstrands over each other. Interwoven backing fabric no matter howpreviously treated prior to plastic coating will tear because of itsfirm and inelastic nature, particularly when fitted over sharp, orangular forms. The tearing is, apparently, the result of the failure ofthe yarns in the woven fabric to their lack or inability for movement,and then realignment in the direction of stress; the tearing tensionbeing applied upon but a few yarn strands rather than upon a pluralitysimultaneously.

Fabric that has been knitted has been found to be a decided improvementas a backing material advantageously offering resilience in anydirection of stretch. The looped structure of knitted fabricsmanufactured on circular-knit machines provides for substantial stretchby straightening of the loops and inherent stretch and realignment ofmasses of the interlooped yarn strands forming a resilient mat ofsignificant depth and irregular surface for the applicaiton of a plasticmaterial by any of the several methods now practiced by the coatingindustry.

Rayon circular-knit fabric is advantageously desirable for coating withplastic material since, in addition to the knit structure, it is formedof continuously spun filaments of even diameter throughout their lengthsproviding for a uniform yarn surface on which to impregnate, spray orcast an imperforate plastic coating. The openings between the loops, andthe substantially parallel filaments forming the yarn, provide a myriadof anchoring positions for the plastic material. Further, variousdesigns in the circular-knit fabric can be effected by ready alterationof the knitting machine. Also, rayon knit fabric as a backing materialis one of the most economical at present available.

This invention advantageously provides for a backing material for use inplastic coating that has exceptional tear-resistant qualities, and thatwill give a final coated fabric of unusual strength, light weight,resilience, and highly retentive of the plastic applied material.

These and other features will be explained hereinafter.

The accompanying drawing, by Figures 1 and 2, shows in enlarged scale acoated fabric of circular-knit construction made of rayon yarn.

Textile fabrics are coated with plastic materials to simulate variouskinds of leathers and water proofed materials for various uses ascoverings of furniture, purses, travelling bags and cases, storagereceptacles, linings, shower curtains, etc. In nearly all instances aspecific requirement of such a plastic fabric is tear resistance. Aplain, circularly knit fabric made from viscose rayon filamentary yarnhaving no twist or very slight twist provides a base which when coatedwith a plastic is tear resistant to a great degree. As shown in thedrawing the fabric backing material is of loop construction, and thefilaments in the yarn being in substantially continuous parallelrelation, without substantial twist, and themselves smooth.

If tension on cloth of this construction is applied even in a limitedarea, the loops of the various consecutive rayon yarn strands spreadthis pulling force to adjacent loops, all tending to straighten in theirresistance, and over an area substantially greater than that limited towhich pressure is applied. This ability of circular-knit fabric rendersit of particular importance as a backing or a mat material for plasticcoatings of all kinds. Generally, irrespective of closeness of knit acircularly knit fabric will provide a more tear resistant backingmaterial than other methods of knitting; a knit fabric of almost anydesign being superior to woven materials.

Circularly knit rayon yarn fabric may be treated with plasticizingagents for better adherence of certain coatings, or such a fabric may beused without an initial treatment of a plasticizer. This, of course,depends on the type of coating applied. The circularly knit fabric,however, is advantageous for the exceptional mentioned qualities forgenerally all kinds of imperforate coatings.

Further, it has been found that if an oleaginous finishing lubricant isomitted during the processing of the viscose rayon fabric, then theadherence of plastic coatings, for instance of plastic vinyl chloride,to the fabric is improved. Where an oil or a wax finish has been appliedduring the manufacture and processing of the fabric then such an oil orwax is desirably removed prior to plastic coating.

I claim:

1. A flexible sheet material comprising; a base layer of viscose rayonplain circular knit fabric; and an imperforate layer of vinyl plasticmaterial.

2. A flexible sheet material comprising; a base layer of fabric free ofoleaginous finishing compounds and being a viscose rayon plain circularknit fabric; and an imperforate layer of vinyl plastic material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,238,607 Weil Aug. 28, 1917 1,856,322 Erlanger et al May 3, 19321,884,560 Cameron et a1. Oct. 25, 1932 2,004,656 Fonville June 11, 19352,022,410 Dreyfus Nov. 26, 1935 2,123,675 Hartmann et al. July 12, 19382,178,759 Keller Nov. 7, 1939 2,414,424 Stevens Jan. 14, 1947 2,521,055Foster Sept. 5, 1950 2,619,705 Foster Dec. 2, 1952

1. A FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL COMPRISING; A BASE LAYER FO VISCOSE RAYONPLAIN CIRCULAR KNIT FABRIC; AND AN IMPERFORATE LAYER OF VINYL PLASTICMATERIAL.